Energy management method

• US 9,405,310 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2012
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Allure Energy Incorporated
• Inventors: Imes, Kevin R., Hollister, James
• Primary Examiner(s): JARRETT, RYAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/460,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20120221718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,555 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 700/277, 700/278
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/67 Switching between heating and cooling modes
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/75 for maintaining constant air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/79 for controlling the direction of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/00 Control inputs relating to environmental factors not covered by group F24F2110/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/10 Weather information or forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/00 Control of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 : variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 : using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 : Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 : Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 : Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 : Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 : Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 : Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 : from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 : Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 : Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 : Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 : Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 : Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 : Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 : Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 : Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 : Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 : Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 : End-user application control systems

Abstract

An energy management system includes a controller disposed at a site. The controller is in communication with a gateway with the gateway being capable of establishing a broadband connection with a first communication network. The gateway is configured to communicate with at least one remote server for receiving energy management information located at the at least one remote server. The controller is configured to initiate communication with the at least one remote server at a first periodic interval to request receipt of the energy management information over the first communication network.

Claims

1. A method of managing energy use at a site, comprising:

providing energy management control at the site;

establishing a broadband connection with at least one remote server via a first communication network;

initiating a communication from a controller to at least one remote server at a first periodic interval;

detecting a location of a user relative to the site;

modifying the first periodic interval based on the detected location of the user relative to the site;

initiating a communication from the controller to the at least one remote server at the modified first periodic interval;

determining by the controller whether said at least one remote server has energy management information to communicate to the controller during said initiated communications, wherein the energy management information includes at least one control action generated in response to the detected location of the user relative to the site;

receiving said energy management information at the controller after the controller has determined that the at least one remote server has energy management information to communicate; and

processing said energy management information at the site.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

altering an operating condition of one or more of a personal computer, a PDA, a consumer electronic device, a media device, a smart phone, a cellular or mobile phone a smart utility meter, an advanced metering infrastructure, a smart energy device, an energy display device, a home automation controller, an energy hub, a smart energy gateway, a set-top box, a digital media subscriber system, a cable modem, a fiber optic enabled communications device, a media gateway, a home media management system, a network server or storage device, an energy substation, a vehicle charging station, a renewable energy production device, a renewable energy control device, an energy storage management system, a smart appliance, an HVAC system, a water pump, a heat pump, a hot water heater, a thermostat, an energy controller, an irrigation system, a lighting system, an alarm system, a smart power outlet, an energy detection device, a power measurement device, a power measurement unit (PMU), an air handler, a wireless air damper, a humidity control system, a refrigerator system, a washing machine system, a heat and motion sensing device, a smart power outlet, a switch router and a wireless router.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

establishing a connection with said thermostat over a second communication network;

wherein said second communication network is different than said first communication network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said energy management information includes real time pricing information.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

assigning a first security level to said first communication network;

assigning a second security level to said second communication network;

wherein said first security level is different than said second security level.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a communication with a second remote server different than the first remote server at a second periodic interval.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

modifying the second periodic interval based on the detected location of the user relative to the site; and

initiating a communication with the second server at the modified second periodic interval.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a location of a mobile device associated with the user relative to at least one boundary associated with the site.

9. A method of managing energy use at a site, comprising:

establishing a broadband connection with at least one remote server via a first communication network;

initiating a communication from a controller to at least one remote server at a first periodic interval;

detecting a location of a user relative to the site;

modifying the first periodic interval based on the detected location of the user relative to the site;

initiating a communication from the controller to the at least one remote server at the modified first periodic interval;

determining by the controller whether said at least one remote server has energy management information to communicate to the controller during said initiated communications, wherein the energy management information includes at least one control action generated in response to the location of a user relative to the site; and

receiving said energy management information at the controller after the controller has determined that the at least one remote server has energy management information to communicate;

processing said energy management information at the site.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

altering an operating condition of one or more of a personal computer, a PDA, a consumer electronic device, a media device, a smart phone, a cellular or mobile phone a smart utility meter, an advanced metering infrastructure, a smart energy device, an energy display device, a home automation controller, an energy hub, a smart energy gateway, a set-top box, a digital media subscriber system, a cable modem, a fiber optic enabled communications device, a media gateway, a home media management system, a network server or storage device, an energy substation, a vehicle charging station, a renewable energy production device, a renewable energy control device, an energy storage management system, a smart appliance, an HVAC system, a water pump, a heat pump, a hot water heater, a thermostat, an energy controller, an irrigation system, a lighting system, an alarm system, a smart power outlet, an energy detection device, a power measurement device, a power measurement unit (PMU), an air handler, a wireless air damper, a humidity control system, a refrigerator system, a washing machine system, a heat and motion sensing device, a smart power outlet, a switch router and a wireless router.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

establishing a connection with said thermostat over a second communication network;

wherein said second communication network is different than said first communication network.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

assigning a first security level to said first communication network;

assigning a second security level to said second communication network;

wherein said first security level is different than said second security level.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said second communication network is an 802.11 based network.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said second communication network is a Bluetooth based communication network.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said second network is a Zigbee based communication network.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein said energy management information includes real time pricing information.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

initiating a communication with a second remote server different than the first remote server at a second periodic interval.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

modifying the second periodic interval based on the detected location of the user relative to the site; and

initiating a communication with the second server at the modified second periodic interval.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein said energy management information includes current and future weather data for the site.

20. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a location of a mobile device associated with the user relative to at least one boundary associated with the site.

21. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a travel direction and a distance between a mobile device associated with the user and the site.